Alberta commits CAD $50 million to Amii over five years

The Alberta government has committed CAD $50 million over five years to the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII).

The investment is meant to expand the use of artificial intelligence in public services and industry while reinforcing the province's position in a field where it has been active for more than two decades. Five ministries will contribute, with the largest figure of CAD $15 million each from the Technology and Innovation and Advanced Education ministries. Alberta says it has invested about CAD $100 million in Amii since 2002.

Premier Danielle Smith said the province now wants to turn its research base into broader economic and public-service gains.

"Alberta has spent two decades building a world-class AI sector, and now we're putting that advantage to work. This investment will help improve public services, support Alberta businesses and create more high-value jobs while keeping Alberta at the forefront of one of the world's fastest-growing industries," Smith said.

The funding will support applications in health care, government services and workforce development. It is also tied to efforts to help more Alberta companies adopt AI tools and develop products locally.

Amii is one of Canada's three national AI institutes, alongside Mila in Quebec and the Vector Institute in Ontario. Alberta describes the institute as a global centre for reinforcement learning, an area in which the province has built a strong academic reputation.

The institute supports more than 500 active researchers, 71 fellows, and Canada CIFAR AI chairs. Its chief scientific adviser, Richard Sutton, was a co-recipient of the 2024 A.M. Turing Award, one of computing's highest honours.

Part of the case for the funding rests on using AI in frontline services, especially health care. The province said this could include screening, earlier detection, health-system navigation and support for decision-making by frontline staff.

"Alberta's primary and preventative health system depends on getting the right information to the right provider at the right time. By investing in Amii, we are supporting made-in-Alberta AI solutions that can help improve screening, earlier detection, system navigation and front-line decision-making. Used responsibly, this technology can reduce administrative burden, strengthen prevention-focused care and help Albertans access timely, high-quality services closer to home," said Justin Wright, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services.

Alongside public-service use, Alberta is also trying to address a long-standing Canadian challenge in AI: strong research output that does not always translate into local commercial gains. The province said Canadian start-ups have often relocated abroad, taking staff and intellectual property with them.

Officials linked the Amii investment to the province's ATIS 2.0 strategy and the recently established Alberta Intellectual Property Office. The goal is to ensure intellectual property created with provincial funding is owned, protected and commercialised in Alberta.